Stay With Me
by SuperMegaFoxyAwesomeHot
Summary: Fairy!Klaine. Kurt has never experienced snow before. This makes him do something kind of stupid.


**Based off some gorgeous art by magicalplaylist that's linked in my crosspost on Tumblr!**

* * *

Blaine spread his arms and inhaled deeply, enjoying a rare day of Fall warmth in Ohio.

He then almost got dive-bombed by a migrating goose.

"Whoa! Not today, buddy," he said from the shelter of a nearby shrub. "It's too nice out for that."

Once the goose stopped rustling through the branches of the shrub and flew off to reunite with its herd, Blaine emerged, grateful the motion of the branches hadn't caused him to get pricked by any of the leaves. He'd seen the Big People barely even flinch when they accidentally got jabbed by one of the bushes, but for someone his size, a wound from a pricker bush could do some serious damage.

Blaine started heading for the edge of the Dalton grounds, where the woods were a little less well-maintained than they were at the front of the stately building. There were usually mushrooms growing in the more wild area, and he and his band were in need of a little more food in their stores before the winter hit. They _should_ be safe, but after Trent had heard one of the students say an early snowstorm might be on its way, the Warblers knew they couldn't be too careful.

"I hope the geese didn't eat every - oh, good!" he said, clapping his hands together a couple of times when he reached the mushroom patch and saw that there was still plenty of food to be had. He started picking the mushrooms that looked small enough to carry yet big enough to be worth eating when he heard movement from behind him and whirled around to see-

"Excuse me," another Little Folk said, waving a hand in greeting. "Were you planning on taking all of those?"

"N-no," Blaine stuttered, startled - he'd never seen a Little Folk who wasn't a member of his band before. On top of that, this new person was almost too good-looking to be real, with windswept brown hair and luminous blue eyes. "Only as much as I could carry back to Dalton."

"Dalton?" the boy asked, looking confused. His wings fluttered behind him.

"The school," Blaine said, gesturing toward the building. "My band and I - the Warblers - we live there."

"You live in a human den?" the boy said, eyes widening. "But that can't be safe!"

"They don't notice us," Blaine explained. "We stay out of sight in the kitchens, and we don't take anything they'd miss. If anyone's ever seen us, they haven't told anyone else."

"Be careful," the boy said. "My people got chased out of a human den once when the Big People saw us and got afraid. We almost lost my dad to one who wanted to lock us up and study us."

"That's horrible," Blaine said after a shocked exhale. "I'll tell my friends to be on the lookout when I get back."

The boy smiled. "And I'll tell my people that there's another group of us nearby."

"Who can I tell them I met?" Blaine asked.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize I hadn't introduced myself. I'm Kurt."

"Blaine." Blaine stuck his hand out to grip Kurt's forearm in greeting, lingering possibly a beat too long before releasing. "Do you need any help getting this food back to your people?"

"No, our burrow isn't far from here - once I bring the first load back, I can find others to help me transport. But maybe we could pick mushrooms together?" Kurt asked, a small smile on his face.

"I'd like that," Blaine said, grinning back. They worked together quietly for a moment before he asked, "Did you say you'd come from a human den?"

"Yes and no," Kurt said, turning to face Blaine. "I was very young when we were forced out of that den. Ever since then, we've traveled throughout various forests trying to find the perfect one to live in. Our last few dens have all been too warm in the summer - that's why we came here, where it's cooler."

"Just wait until winter," Blaine joked, going back to his picking. "You'll miss that heat soon enough."

"Unlikely," Kurt snorted cavalierly. "Those temperatures were awful - I can't wait for it to get cold!"

"Have you ever experienced snow?" Blaine asked, a little concerned - Kurt didn't seem to be taking winter as seriously as he and his Ohio-native band did.

"Nope! But I've heard stories," Kurt said, bending over to pick more mushrooms. "They say it's beautiful."

"It can be, but it's also dangerous if you're not prepared."

"We'll be prepared," Kurt said confidently. "There's nothing my people and I can't handle."

"If you say so," Blaine said mildly, not wanting to start a fight with a person he was already considering a new friend.

"I'm going to be the first one out to explore the snow," Kurt said, sighing happily. "I bet it's going to be magical."

"The first snowfall is always special," Blaine said, a half-smile forming on his face as he remembered past winters. "You just need to make sure you have plenty of food stored away by then, because there's not a good way to get more once the snow comes, especially if you don't live in a human den."

"I appreciate the advice," Kurt said. "I guess I'll be spending the next few days exploring the woods to make sure we haven't missed anything."

"These mushrooms should grow back in about a week, maybe a little earlier if it rains," Blaine said. "Feel free to come back here whenever you need - though I'd appreciate it if you left a few for us."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Kurt said, smiling. "I'd hate for my friend to starve."

"Friend?" Blaine repeated, smiling back.

"If you'd like to be."

"I'd like that very much."

"Then I hope to see you soon, Blaine," Kurt said, picking up an armload of mushrooms and propelling himself into the air. He hovered just above Blaine's head.

"I'm sure we'll meet again soon," Blaine replied, taking a load for himself.

* * *

Five days later, Blaine stared out of the ventilation pipe near the Warblers' den, concerned. The early snowstorm Trent had heard about was rearing its ugly head, and all Blaine could think about was the conversation he and Kurt had had before.

"He wouldn't really have gone out there, would he?" Blaine whispered, watching the heavy flakes blanket the grounds. "I warned him. Twice, even!"

Kurt and Blaine had run into each other again a couple of days after their first meeting, both merely out exploring rather than on another supply run. They had ended up sitting and talking for hours in a secluded area in the Dalton gardens, sharing stories of their lives and experiences. Kurt had still been dead set on going out in the snow even after Blaine's story about Wes almost losing his toes to frostbite, and the memory of the determination on Kurt's face filled Blaine with fear.

"He's stubborn, but he's not stupid," Blaine said, trying to convince himself. "Seeing how hard this stuff can come down would show him that he was better off staying inside."

 _Unless he went out before it started snowing and got stuck_ , an unhelpful voice in the back of Blaine's head chimed.

A shudder ran down Blaine's spine.

"It didn't start snowing until this afternoon," he said. "If Kurt was out in the morning…."

Blaine forced himself to turn away from the window so he wouldn't fixate on all the places Kurt could be stuck. He couldn't hold out very long, but by the time he turned around, he noticed the storm was easing up.

"I've got to go after him," Blaine said, running to find his warmest sweater and scarf. It still wasn't as much protection as the weather warranted, but typically he and the Warblers didn't go out in the snow for longer than it took to make a few snow angels and have a quick snowball fight. Heavier protection wasn't necessary.

"Blaine?" David asked when they crossed paths on Blaine's way out. "Where are you going?"

"I'm afraid Kurt went out before the storm hit and got trapped somewhere. I just need to be sure he's safe," Blaine said, securing his scarf around his neck.

"Tell me exactly where you're going," David said firmly. "I won't stop you from going after Kurt, but if you also don't make it back, I need to know where to look for you."

"We've always met up by the mushroom patch," Blaine said. "I'm going to start there and maybe check the edge of the forest, but I promise I won't go in unless I actually hear Kurt's voice."

"You swear?"

"I swear," Blaine said, looking David right in the eye.

"Good luck, then," David said, clasping Blaine on the shoulder for a moment before letting him pass.

Blaine carefully slipped out the window above the kitchen sink, thankful that none of the Big People had noticed that it didn't actually shut tightly. Once he was out, he jumped off the ledge outside the window into the snow with a muffled thud. The flakes were thick enough that Blaine didn't sink very far into them as he walked, which was a small mercy - he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything for Kurt if he couldn't even walk properly.

Once he neared the mushroom patch, he started calling out for Kurt.

A nearly inaudible whine from the nearby brush made Blaine walk closer to the forest's edge.

"Kurt?" Blaine ducked under a snow-bent sapling, hearing the noise again. "Kurt!"

Kurt was huddled against the trunk of the sapling, legs hugged to his chest and tucked as far under his tunic as they would go. His toes, fingers, and face were turning blue, while his limbs were alarmingly pale, even for Kurt's naturally fair complexion.

"Blaine?" Kurt mouthed, soundless.

"We've gotta get you inside," Blaine said, panic and alarm giving way to an instinctive sense of determination.

"Al-r-r-r-ight," Kurt said, weakly pushing himself upright. He managed to get to his feet, but instantly started swaying when he tried to move away from the tree trunk.

"Whoa, whoa," Blaine said, running over to steady Kurt. He hissed at the frigid feeling of Kurt's skin. "I'll carry you - except I don't know how to navigate your wings-"

"Grab - below," Kurt said, slowly wrapping his arms around Blaine's neck.

"Below - like this?" Blaine said, crouching to cradle one arm beneath Kurt's legs before straightening and placing the other at the base of his wings.

"Y-y-"

"Yes, okay," Blaine said, getting the idea. "Hang on as tight as you can. I've got you."

He gripped Kurt closely and set off, gritting his teeth. Dalton wasn't that far away - he'd have Kurt safe and warm in no time.

Of course, Blaine wasn't used to carrying another Little Folk, especially one that was actually slightly taller than he was. He had to slow down a little as the weight of Kurt grew heavier in his arms, but he refused to let himself stop, knowing the risk was too great if he did.

"Oh, crap," Blaine said softly when the kitchen door was in sight. "How are we gonna get back in?"

"Mmm?" Kurt tried to raise his head, but Blaine shushed him gently.

"Rest, Kurt. There's nothing for you to worry about."

 _For me, on the other hand…,_ he thought wryly.

As he approached the door, though, he noticed that it seemed to be open just a crack - not very wide, but enough to let a Little Folk in.

"He's back! They're back!" Trent yelled once Blaine and Kurt were inside.

Wes, David, and Thad swiftly shut the door after them.

"Oh, he looks bad, Blaine," Wes said, turning to face the pair. "Get him to the common room - I think there are still some embers burning from earlier."

"Good idea," Blaine said, setting off again. "Will someone bring my blankets down, too?"

"I've got them!" Nick said, running up beside him with an armload of fabric scraps. "We're one step ahead of you."

"You guys are amazing," Blaine said gratefully.

"You care about Kurt, so we care about Kurt," David said, shrugging a shoulder. "But we also don't want to overwhelm him, so we'll leave you two alone once you're set up by the fire."

Blaine nodded his understanding and kept walking.

"We think all of the humans have gone home for one of their school breaks, so you and Kurt should be safe to stay out here for a while," Nick said once they reached the fireplace, depositing Blaine's blankets in a heap on the bricks. "And we're gonna try to come by every couple of hours or so in case you or Kurt need anything. We don't want him to wake up alone somewhere unfamiliar - how scary would that be?"

"I don't know how to thank you all," Blaine said, placing Kurt gently on the bricks next to the blankets before clasping Nick's elbow for a moment.

"Just help him get better," Nick said. "We've all noticed you've seemed happier since you and Kurt met, even if it's only been a few days. We don't want you to lose that."

He walked off before Blaine could respond, saving him from having to formulate a reply. How could he? Blaine knew he cared deeply for Kurt, but he wasn't quite sure how to put those feelings into words just yet.

"Mmm...Blaine?" Kurt mumbled, stirring slightly.

"Hey, I'm here," Blaine said, kneeling down beside Kurt. "You're safe now. We're back at Dalton."

"Cold," Kurt said, voice going whiny. "And my hands hurt."

"We'll take care of that," Blaine said. He quickly grabbed his blankets and spread them over Kurt before burrowing under them himself, suddenly exhausted. "I'm going to be right here, okay? If you wake up before I do, just shake me?"

A snore from Kurt made Blaine think that Kurt probably hadn't heard that message, but he figured Kurt would wake him eventually. He tucked Kurt's head into his neck to ensure Kurt's face would also warm up and drifted off to sleep, happy to have Kurt close.

* * *

"Blaine?"

Blaine grunted at the familiar voice but resisted waking, too cozy to acknowledge the real world.

"Blaine!"

When Blaine registered who was speaking, his eyes snapped open.

"Kurt!"

"Where are we?" Kurt asked, lifting his head off of Blaine's chest a little to look around in curiosity.

"Dalton," Blaine said. "I tried to tell you when we got back, but you must have been too out of it to understand."

"This is Dalton? It's beautiful," Kurt said, awestruck. "But should we be out in the open like this?"

"We're pretty sure the humans have left for a couple of weeks," Blaine said, keeping Kurt pressed close to him even as he moved to sit upright. "Are you feeling warmer?"

"I'm warmer than I could have imagined," Kurt said. "It may not have ever snowed where we used to live, but it still got chilly. I didn't know it was possible to be this warm in winter."

Kurt's wonder at being warm in winter made Blaine's heart clench - he'd never experienced cold so frequently that it became matter-of-fact to him, and he hated that Kurt had.

"Then stay here," Blaine said, realizing he may have sounded a little more desperate than he would have preferred. "I mean, I don't want to separate you from your people, but you _definitely_ can't go back out yet - Trent heard the storms were supposed to last all weekend. If you try to leave now, you'll freeze, but even then...I don't want you to go."

"I don't really want to go," Kurt said, voice soft. "But I can't leave my people forever."

'There's room for them here!" Blaine said. "We made our den in the kitchen, but there are other rooms in this building that your people could use, or even other kitchens in other buildings if they really want their space. I know you ran into bad humans in the past, but we've been at Dalton for years now, and the girls of my people have been at their den for even longer, and no one has ever threatened us."

"Wait, the girls of your people don't live with you?" Kurt asked, nose scrunching.

"It's been that way as long as I can remember - I don't know why," Blaine said, shrugging. "But I assure you, we've never run into bad humans here."

"I don't know," Kurt said, considering. "I think some of our elders are too afraid of humans to ever want to live in one of their dens again. But I think the younger ones could be convinced, and my father, well…."

"Well?" Blaine repeated.

"He knows I've been happier than ever before since I met you," Kurt said. "And he'll be worried sick about me until I can make it home. If I tell him there's a way for us to stay safe from the weather and be near each other, I think he'd be the first person to move in here."

"So you'll try to convince your people to come? I know I've been focusing on you, but I don't want anyone else to get hurt by this weather, either," Blaine said, squeezing Kurt's hand.

Kurt let out a hiss. "Ow! But yes, I'll talk to them as soon as it's safe for me to go back."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you! Your skin will probably be tender for a little while as you warm up," Blaine said, petting over Kurt's hand in apology. "And I can go with you, if you'd like. Living proof, and all that."

"I'll always want you to be with me," Kurt said, beaming at Blaine. "Especially if you can be with me under the blankets. I'm getting cold all over again."

Blaine yanked the blankets back up over them swiftly. "You have no idea how scared I was when I found you," he said, pulling Kurt close. "Please don't do that to me ever again."

"I don't plan on it," Kurt said, nuzzling into Blaine. "I still want to play in the snow, but I think I'll wait until someone who's actually experienced it before tells me it's safe next time."

"I think that can be arranged," Blaine said happily.


End file.
